His gaze swept across the faces of several students, after confirming their features, he swiftly untied the red cloth scroll from his waist, unfurled it, stuffed it into Satoru Gojo's hands.
It was a miniature version of the banner hanging on the helicopter.
While everyone stood there dumbfounded, the pilot pulled out a confetti cannon and fired three loud "bang-bang-bang" shots.
He shouted, "My Young Master said: 'Thank you for helping me, you are so kind, I like you so much!'"
After roaring, he let out a heavy sigh of relief as if a great weight had been lifted, spoke into the headset, "Mission complete, over."
[I like you so much] Satoru Gojo felt his head buzzing.
The pilot said, "Well then, Young Master Gojo, we are departing."
The boarding stairs shuddered twice and slowly retracted.
In three minutes or less, the helicopter, carrying that striking silk banner, departed.
Nobara Iori watched the plane as it gradually drifted away, feeling the roar of the helicopter's engines inside her head. She asked Suguru Geto, "They're leaving just like that? What exactly did they come here for?"
Suguru Geto looked at the silk banner in Satoru Gojo's hands and said hesitantly, "Is it to express gratitude?"
Next door, Makoto Hibara and Kento Nanami had already run to the second-year classroom; since Masamichi Yaga was still in the classroom, they merely stood at the door.
Makoto Hibara was visibly excited. "Gojo-senpai, is Supervisor Kobe coming back? Has his injury healed?"
Kento Nanami first greeted Masamichi Yaga, explaining that they had already finished class, before saying with restraint, "Mr. Yaga, was that Supervisor Kobe's helicopter just now?"
His expression was cool, but the curiosity in his eyes could not be hidden.
Although money could be considered a part of one's personal charm, the reason Kobe Suzuo is so likable is certainly not just because of that; as long as he wants, it is rare for anyone to truly dislike him.
He can even charm his business rivals into a state of pure joy, let alone the inexperienced students at Jujutsu High.
Masamichi Yaga's face remained stiff. "Perhaps."
He truly couldn't understand it. It was said that the documents piled up in the Director's Department were enough to submerge the conference room, so how did the Director still have the leisure to send a helicopter just to play with a child?
"Yay! It's so good that the Supervisor is okay!" Makoto Hibara cheered, running to Satoru Gojo's side to look at the banner.
That's amazing! It's my first time seeing something like this!
Satoru Gojo, whose expression had been blank since taking over the banner, finally snapped out of it, looking visibly bewildered as if he had suffered a massive shock.
You're so kind, I really love you.
This sentence, shouted by the pilot, was automatically filtered in Satoru Gojo's mind, transforming into Kobe Suzuo's light chuckle as she spoke in that noble, morning-mist-like tone.
He could even imagine Kobe Suzuo's eyes curving into crescents, her beautiful but somewhat obnoxious face.
Behind the sunglasses, the azure eyes held a sense of indignation, as if he were embarrassed and enraged.
But he still laughed, quickly processing that unfamiliar emotion.
Satoru Gojo said cheerfully, "It's the first time I've received one too."
He rolled up the banner bit by bit and said, "Supervisor Kobe is far too polite. We must have a proper chat the next time we meet."
Makoto Hibara gave an inexplicable shudder, but quickly raised a cheerful smile again. "Then let's go grab lunch, Senpai! The cafeteria uncle said there's a new menu today."
..
Kobe! Lord Tengen's barrier is world-class; there is no need for you to install that mess of things at Jujutsu High!
Kobe Suzuo said calmly, "Oh, but the Star Plasma Vessel went missing, Lord Tengen didn't notice immediately or find the person. In the end, it was the police who found the clues by relying on surveillance."
The old man's dark, withered face flushed with a sudden trace of color from rage. "You cannot slander Lord Tengen like that! Do you think that things which even a Barrier Technique cannot hold back can be stopped by your so-called security protocols and surveillance?"
Kobe Suzuo looked at the real-time favorability reports being sent by Merlin and raised an eyebrow.
In the encyclopedia, the heart beside the small white-haired figure fluctuated, its favorability rising and falling.
He didn't forget to address the Elders Council, "It might not be able to stop it, but at least we'll know the moment something goes missing."
Elder Suyu, this is merely a safeguard, a way to protect the security of Koushin Palace and ensure that the Forbidden Warehouse is foolproof. You know what is stored in these places; no matter how strict the protection is, it is reasonable.
Koushin Palace, the residence of Lord Tengen.
The Vault, where various high-risk cursed objects, including Sukuna's fingers, are stored.
Are you kidding me with these places?
A single finger of Sukuna could turn an ordinary Cursed Spirit into a Special Grade—something that even the current Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto would have to put in significant effort to deal with.
Kobe Suzuo would have to be insane to hand over the keys to a room containing a nuclear bomb to someone else.
When all was said and done, the reason why the so-called Lord Tengen was the world's number one in Barrier Techniques was simply because everyone else was too useless.
There are so many unofficial sorcerers and curse users; if one with extraordinary talent in Barrier Techniques were to emerge, wouldn't everything be ruined?
Can a bunch of trash deal with a Special Grade? What kind of madness is this?
Kobe Suzuo had not the slightest trust in the dilapidated and loophole-ridden Jujutsu World.
Both the technology and the "key" must be held in one's own hands.
Technology, intelligence, financial support—the Kobe Family provides it all. What exactly do you have to complain about?
Kobe Suzuo's tone carried an unquestionable resolve.
He wanted to end it quickly.
She wanted to see Satoru's face, to see him with her own eyes.
Author's Note:
Good evening!
Chapter 21 That Endless Summer
It was a bouquet of Endless Summer paired with chamomile and white bellflowers; the flower heads were round and full, their delicate, soft petals crowded together like the bustling stars of a summer night, or like spreading ink.
Crystal-clear droplets slowly rolled down the spread-out sepals, moist, smelling like the atmosphere of a park after the rain or a mossy path beside a temple.
Kobe Suzuo held it, not using a lethal amount of hairspray to maintain his semi-permanent slicked-back hair; his black hair softened the angles of his face, his clothing and accessories were as exquisite as ever, a shallow, gentle smile played upon his face.
Whether it was because his leg injury had not yet fully healed or simply to put on an act, Kobe Suzuo remained in a wheelchair, forced to look up when gazing at Satoru Gojo, appearing as fragile as the flowers in his hands.
Blue and white roses, pansies, bluebells, larkspurs—Kobe Suzuo had been sending flowers for three consecutive days.
He did not care about the language of flowers, merely selecting colors and shapes that were worthy of Satoru Gojo, if he was satisfied, he would send someone to deliver them to Jujutsu High.
Dazzling blue flowers were about to fill the classroom.
Satoru Gojo felt nothing for flowers. In the Gojo Clan, the garden plants were tended to by specialists, vases in the living quarters always held fresh flowers.
As a young master of a great clan, these soft and fragile decorations were common and ordinary in his daily life.
But the feeling of being given flowers by someone was strange, the feeling of being given flowers by Kobe Suzuo was particularly strange.
Kobe Suzuo raised her arms slightly, bringing Endless Summer closer to Satoru Gojo.
He still wore glasses, through the thin lenses, those deep, pitch-black eyes held emotions that were impossible to describe, as if he were observing the world from a completely different perspective.
It was not the "insight" of the Six Eyes that could capture the flow of Cursed Energy, but rather the "reading" of someone watching a recording from outside the screen.
"Won't you accept it?" Kobe Suzuo's voice was soft.
Satoru Gojo wanted to act more natural, to appear more nonchalant, as casual as if he were receiving a bouquet sent by one of Supervisor Kobe's subordinates, then nonchalantly complain that Supervisor Kobe was a strange, inexplicable person.
Treat the flowers as if they were that honorary banner.
But he could not make any expression, bending down stiffly. The small flowers trembled slightly, cold droplets of water fell onto his hands like a sunshower.
"It's wonderful that you can like it." Kobe Suzuo laughed lightly.
In an instant, it was as if icebergs were melting and all colors were fading; a shimmering, sparkling effect, accompanied by purple bellflowers, appeared behind Kobe Suzuo.
Satoru Gojo, who was already somewhat distracted, was stunned into a state of trance for eight long seconds, his mind drifting far away.
How romantic." Makoto Hibara clasped his hands in front of his chest and remarked, "They are such a perfect match! I can almost envision a mysterious stained-glass window in the background.
The white-haired young man held a flower that matched the color of his eyes, his expression obscured and unreadable behind his sunglasses, but the sickly noble sitting opposite him in a wheelchair smiled with a gentle lightness, gazing at the grieving young man with a "passionate" look as if to comfort him, his silence more powerful than words.
Indeed, with the stained glass window in the background and the soft, soothing BGM, it was a beautiful composition—a truly stunning pair.
Suguru Geto was halfway through a nod when he suddenly snapped out of it.
No, no, no, what do you mean "well-matched"? Satoru Gojo wasn't being sentimental, Kobe Suzuo wasn't sickly either—
Waaa, it's so wonderful that Young Master can meet someone who cares for him like this.
The elderly man, who had appeared by their side at some unknown time, had white hair and wore a well-fitted, sharp tailcoat, looking like a butler who had stepped straight out of a manga.
He pinched a handkerchief and took off his single-lens glasses to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes. "It has been a long time since I saw the Young Master smile so happily."
Suguru Geto, who had recently binge-watched shojo manga with Nobara Iori and Amanai Riko..
The butler was moved all to himself, not forgetting to share his feelings with the young man beside him, "The Young Master has been an excellent and sensible child since he was little, but he has never had many friends; he has always been alone in everything he does."
Makoto Hibara chimed in, "Even someone as gentle as Supervisor Kobe can be ostracized? That's just too pitiful!"
Indeed." The butler folded the handkerchief and put it away. "The Young Master is too brilliant; he has always been out of sync with others. Having skipped several grades, he hasn't been able to make any suitable friends even after graduating with his doctorate at eighteen.
Suguru Geto, overwhelmed by various sense of déjà vu: Just how frequent must the grade skipping be to graduate with a doctorate at eighteen! With a school pace like that, it would be difficult to make friends in the first place, wouldn't it?
Actually, he just thought everyone else was stupid and ended up isolating everyone by himself, didn't he?
Kobe Suzuo, a thirteen-year-old PhD graduate from another world: The life experiences arranged by the consciousness of the world are far too conservative.
The butler continued, looking at Kobe Suzuo not far away, his affectionate gaze impossible to hide. "The Young Master is usually a picky and willful one; seeing such a scene now, this old man can die without regrets."
Suguru Geto: The connection between these two sentences is??
Could Satoru even control whether Kobe Suzuo was a picky eater or not? Satoru was far more willful than Kobe Suzuo; it was a miracle if the two of them didn't pick at their food together.
It will definitely be happy!" After listening to the story, Makoto Hibara said with great vigor, "Supervisor Kobe is the most reliable and excellent adult I have ever met, so it will definitely be fine.
"Good! Such spirit!" The butler had emerged from his emotions, his tone possessing a strange, flamboyant grandeur.
Good child, do you want to come work for the Kobe Family after graduation? The benefits and treatment at the manor are quite excellent; the salary is about three to five times that of an ordinary Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, there are weekends off and annual leave.
"Huh?" Makoto Hibara scratched his head, momentarily unable to keep up with the sudden change in topic.
The old butler's monocle flashed with a glint of white light as the light shifted.